Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-15
I'd EDITION.
--latest qeleglanS 10 The Star.
RUSSIA,S CASE WELL PUT.
II is She Who should Re Alarmed a
lscxssaaSaxrss. lIilianrS XDrcua

oeThnany'a fIeP0I0thOmSs
ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. 15.-The OFFICIAL Military
Gazette says: Owing to the alarm raised by the
Austrian press In consequence OF the transfer OF
some Russian cavalry TO the Warsaw district 1t il
advisable TO consider the military position OF Rus
STA and her western frontier neighbOrs In order TO
throw light unon the nnestion OF who iS really nre
pairing 10 attack and who for defense. During the
past five years the peace effective OF the German
army has been Increased 81 battalionS and :'S4
guns. The German troops on the Russian frontier
have been increased 81 battal1OnS OF infantry, 20
batteries OF artillery and ID squadrons OF cavalary
Since 1878 Germany has built in the eastern prov
tnces 1850 kilometers OF railroads. There are
eleven German railroads by means OF which
troops can be forwarded TO the Russian from
tier and ten junction stations where they can
be rapidly thrown out OF trains and concen-
trated. Germany has formed first class fortresses
at Thorn, Posen, DantZic and Koenigsburg, and
Is building a similar fortress at Grandenz.
Austria has added TO the % infantry divisions
which formerly constituted her effective, and
would add In the event OF the mobilization OF the
army IA landwehr or honved divisions. The Gall
clan garriSOnS have been reinforced during 1887
by Is sQuadrons OF cavalry and 13 batteries OF ar
ttllery, all provided with a full complement OF
horses. In The Austrian districts which might be-
come the theater OF q war with Russia, 1880 kio-
meters Of railroads. with four branches, have been
constructed since 1878.
Six Austrian railways are available for throwing
into Galicia large bodies OF troops, who by means
OF the new junction stations be placed I'm posi-
ton on the Russian frontier. Military huts, depots
and stores are being collected at Lemburg Pre-
mys, Jaroslaw, Dembitza, Riaschen, and other
have been converted into camp fortreSseS. Rus
sian territory can be bombarded from the Cracow
forts. large quantity OF rolling stock has been
accumulated at Cracow, adapted Tor use on Rus
sian railways.
All these preparations are meaningless, except
in view OF offensive tactics, and show that Aus
tria, under semblance OF defense, IS
at the same time, preparing to invade
Russia simultaneously with her ally. But what is
Russia doing in view OF her neighbors' threat
ening preparations? Notwithstanding the IN. mi
fest danger Russia considers that Euro
pean war wOvld be q terrible misfortune to
all mankind. She was the first who. amid
her neighbors feverish ornaments did not
increase, but decreased her defensive forces.
In 1881 and 1882 Russia reduced her
peace effective nearly 100000. True, she
ia Sed 1t again In consequence OF the
Afghan affair and the necessity OF i'm.
proving her readiness to mobilize when her
neighbors unremittingly raised their fight
ing strength. Nevertheless the peace
effective OF the Russian army Is
now "a, 1855 less than In 1884, while her neighbOrs
IN the same period have aised their peace enec-
tive 10000.